Analyst Chris Simms turns heads with ranking of 2026 WR draft class
· Yahoo Sports
With the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft officially less than a month away, there still isn't a wide receiver unanimously considered to be above the field — a far cry from in years past, when Colorado's Travis Hunter (2025) and Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023) were essentially locks to be the first receivers off the board.
This year, there's a clutter at the top of the class.
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Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson, Ohio State's Carnell Tate and USC's Makai Lemon — the 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner — are widely considered to be the top three, though either one could be the first to hear their name during the draft. Washington's Denzel Boston, Tennessee's Chris Brazzell II and Georgia's Zachariah Branch appear to be in the next group, all with differing skillsets potentially causing their draft landing spot to come down to team need.
Meanwhile, NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms has a different opinion than many others on the 2026 wide receiver draft class considering the release of his top five. The former 8-year NFL quarterback didn't put either of Tyson, Tate or Lemon at the top of his ranking; rather, the 6-foot-4 Boston received that nod, despite concerns about his speed and ability to create separation from defenders at the collegiate level.
Next came Tyson, who has been one of the top pass catchers in college football the past two seasons while battling injuries. During his two years with the Sun Devils, he totaled 136 catches, 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns. Brazzell followed Tyson, a receiver with blazing speed but questions on if he can become a complete receiver at the next level.
Then, Tate finally appeared on the list. Having acted as the Buckeyes' WR2 behind phenom Jeremiah Smith, Tate's raw numbers don't reflect stardom. But he has extremely reliable hands, is a crafty route runner and the frame (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) to succeed in the NFL. Simms' ranking of Tate at No. 4 is certainly eyebrow-raising — but arguably not as much as Simms leaving Lemon completely off his top five ranking, with Branch rounding out the list.
My 2026 Draft WR Rankings
— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) March 23, 2026
This is a group where if the right guy gets drafted to the right team they can be a starter FAST.@SNFonNBC@rotoworld@NBCSportspic.twitter.com/Zd2Y9gBcSH
There are several concerns with Lemon regarding his transition to the league. The first thing that has been raised is his 5-foot-11 height, as he may be resigned to a slot receiver — a position that doesn't often get drafted very highly as opposed to a do-it-all outside receiver with versatility. He also had some questionable moments during the draft combine, as the manner in which he answered questions during the media session went viral on social media.
Regardless, the move to leave Lemon completely off the list and behind Branch, a receiver who never recorded a 1,000-yard season, is certainly something, as it sparked heated conversations on social media with many disagreeing with Simms' take. Only time will tell if the former NFL passer's hot take comes to fruition.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: NFL analyst releases staggering ranking of 2026 WR draft class